There was a time when Disney made ideal family movies that weren’t animated, or live action reboots of animated films. In fact, there was a time when Walt Disney would take on original live action true stories designed for the whole family to enjoy.
Now, thanks to the efforts of director Joachim Ronning and mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s clout and dedication, the studio has an echo of its past with Young Woman And The Sea, the true biopic and inspiring saga of Trudy Ederle.
In 1926, she became the first woman to swim the English Channel from France to England. Ederle’s remarkable achievement has nearly been forgotten and overlooked in the 100 years since it happened. But thanks to Glenn Stout’s 2009 book, Young Woman And The Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered The English Channel And Inspired The World, and A-List screenwriter Jeff Nathanson who discovered the book while rummaging through a bookstore one day and was convinced it would be a great film, the movie’s long journey to the screen is a successful one.
It still took years even for Bruckheimer to convince Disney to make it, and it is getting only a limited theatrical release before streaming. But hopefully, the inevitable word of mouth for this crowd-pleaser will make it more than limited. This is a big screen film that deserves to be seen with an audience, and not lost in the streaming larder. It also proves that they do make ’em like they used to, at least occasionally.
Basically following the linear story of Trudy (Olive Abercrombie plays the young Trudy), we see her early family life, and then her desire to make a difference for girls. The place she could do that was in the pool, an effort supported by her mother (Jeanette Hain), who knew from a previous ocean tragedy that learning to swim was important for her kids. That not only went for Trudy (Daisy Ridley), but also her older sister Meg (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), who would go on to become her sister’s biggest supporter, even on the boat that accompanied Trudy as she took on the English Channel.
Before that happened in 1926, Trudy would triumph and win a gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics. But taking on this task thought only possible for the male-dominated society of the time was something she became determined to do. It is no spoiler to say that indeed, on her second try, she did it even when it appeared she might be dead towards the end of the journey when she got lost in the darkness and separated from those keeping track of her. And in so doing this unheard-of feat, Trudy, who was partially deaf due to a childhood illness, beat previous male records by nearly two hours at 14 hours and 31 minutes (it held for 35 years), and this New York native got the largest victory parade ever in the history of the city. Ever.
But the crux of the story is seeing the perseverance it took to achieve this milestone, a belief that you never give up. Ridley simply embodies that spirit of this young woman (who eventually went deaf and died in 2003 at age 98) and delivers a memorable performance, including complete authenticity in her quest. Cobham-Hervey is excellent as well, and the parents are nicely played by Kim Bodnia as Henry, a dedicated German-born butcher and father who feared for his daughter, but then became a #1 fan, and especially by Hain, superb as the wise and determined mother, Gertrude, with a mind of her own and the will to do what is best for her family.
Stephen Graham is excellent and a lot of fun as the most unlikely of coaches, a man who, in 1911, became the second person to swim the Channel, and now is key to helping Trudy make history.
As you might expect with a Bruckheimer production, it looks magnificent, with excellent cinematography both above and below the waves (Oscar Faura was the Dp), production design from Nora Takacs Ekberg, and a sweeping score by Amelia Warner. Pulling all this off with so many water scenes could not have been easy, but Ronning, well-versed in water from Kon-Tiki and Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (which he did for Bruckheimer) was clearly the right choice for the job. It looks sensational.
Producers are Bruckheimer, Nathanson, and Chad Oman.
Title: Young Woman And The Sea
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: May 31, 2024
Director: Joachim Ronning
Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson
Cast: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Jeanette Hain, Christopher Eccleston, Glenn Fleshler, Sian Clifford, Olive Abercrombie
Rating: PG
Running Time: 2 Hours and 9 Minutes...
Now, thanks to the efforts of director Joachim Ronning and mega-producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s clout and dedication, the studio has an echo of its past with Young Woman And The Sea, the true biopic and inspiring saga of Trudy Ederle.
In 1926, she became the first woman to swim the English Channel from France to England. Ederle’s remarkable achievement has nearly been forgotten and overlooked in the 100 years since it happened. But thanks to Glenn Stout’s 2009 book, Young Woman And The Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered The English Channel And Inspired The World, and A-List screenwriter Jeff Nathanson who discovered the book while rummaging through a bookstore one day and was convinced it would be a great film, the movie’s long journey to the screen is a successful one.
It still took years even for Bruckheimer to convince Disney to make it, and it is getting only a limited theatrical release before streaming. But hopefully, the inevitable word of mouth for this crowd-pleaser will make it more than limited. This is a big screen film that deserves to be seen with an audience, and not lost in the streaming larder. It also proves that they do make ’em like they used to, at least occasionally.
Basically following the linear story of Trudy (Olive Abercrombie plays the young Trudy), we see her early family life, and then her desire to make a difference for girls. The place she could do that was in the pool, an effort supported by her mother (Jeanette Hain), who knew from a previous ocean tragedy that learning to swim was important for her kids. That not only went for Trudy (Daisy Ridley), but also her older sister Meg (Tilda Cobham-Hervey), who would go on to become her sister’s biggest supporter, even on the boat that accompanied Trudy as she took on the English Channel.
Before that happened in 1926, Trudy would triumph and win a gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics. But taking on this task thought only possible for the male-dominated society of the time was something she became determined to do. It is no spoiler to say that indeed, on her second try, she did it even when it appeared she might be dead towards the end of the journey when she got lost in the darkness and separated from those keeping track of her. And in so doing this unheard-of feat, Trudy, who was partially deaf due to a childhood illness, beat previous male records by nearly two hours at 14 hours and 31 minutes (it held for 35 years), and this New York native got the largest victory parade ever in the history of the city. Ever.
But the crux of the story is seeing the perseverance it took to achieve this milestone, a belief that you never give up. Ridley simply embodies that spirit of this young woman (who eventually went deaf and died in 2003 at age 98) and delivers a memorable performance, including complete authenticity in her quest. Cobham-Hervey is excellent as well, and the parents are nicely played by Kim Bodnia as Henry, a dedicated German-born butcher and father who feared for his daughter, but then became a #1 fan, and especially by Hain, superb as the wise and determined mother, Gertrude, with a mind of her own and the will to do what is best for her family.
Stephen Graham is excellent and a lot of fun as the most unlikely of coaches, a man who, in 1911, became the second person to swim the Channel, and now is key to helping Trudy make history.
As you might expect with a Bruckheimer production, it looks magnificent, with excellent cinematography both above and below the waves (Oscar Faura was the Dp), production design from Nora Takacs Ekberg, and a sweeping score by Amelia Warner. Pulling all this off with so many water scenes could not have been easy, but Ronning, well-versed in water from Kon-Tiki and Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (which he did for Bruckheimer) was clearly the right choice for the job. It looks sensational.
Producers are Bruckheimer, Nathanson, and Chad Oman.
Title: Young Woman And The Sea
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios
Release Date: May 31, 2024
Director: Joachim Ronning
Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson
Cast: Daisy Ridley, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Stephen Graham, Kim Bodnia, Jeanette Hain, Christopher Eccleston, Glenn Fleshler, Sian Clifford, Olive Abercrombie
Rating: PG
Running Time: 2 Hours and 9 Minutes...
- 5/31/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Gertrude Ederle loved the water. “To me, the sea is like a person — like a child I’ve known a long time,” she once said. “ I never feel alone when I’m out there.”
That comfort combined with a dogged sense of determination led the young German American swimmer (played here by Daisy Ridley) to defy odds and sexist naysayers. In 1926, Ederle swam the English Channel in 14 hours and 31 minutes, beating the previous world record, which was held by a man. Her accomplishment helped change perceptions about women in competitive sports. When Ederle returned to New York, the city feted her with a parade on a scale never seen before (or since). They cheered her homecoming and dubbed her the Queen of the Waves.
Like all trailblazers, Ederle’s story began with obstacles and hostility, many of which director Joachim Rønning accords appropriate levels of respect in Young Woman and the Sea.
That comfort combined with a dogged sense of determination led the young German American swimmer (played here by Daisy Ridley) to defy odds and sexist naysayers. In 1926, Ederle swam the English Channel in 14 hours and 31 minutes, beating the previous world record, which was held by a man. Her accomplishment helped change perceptions about women in competitive sports. When Ederle returned to New York, the city feted her with a parade on a scale never seen before (or since). They cheered her homecoming and dubbed her the Queen of the Waves.
Like all trailblazers, Ederle’s story began with obstacles and hostility, many of which director Joachim Rønning accords appropriate levels of respect in Young Woman and the Sea.
- 5/30/2024
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Between The Nun II, Sister Death, Consecration, the upcoming The First Omen, and the newly released Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney, it’s safe to say that nuns are having a moment in horror. So often, fear thrives in the unlit nooks of the unknown, and for many of us, that includes those who dedicate themselves to religious orders. Shrouded in intrigue and literal fabric, the combo of unwavering religious devotion and rejection of various worldly pleasures makes nuns ripe for genre exploration. While nuns are certainly trending, this is by no means the first time horror has blessed us with terrifying tales featuring such religious women.
In Häxan (1922), possessed nuns mingle with witches as director Benjamin Christensen explores the connection between mental health and mass hysteria. With movies like Alucarda (1975), Ms. 45 (1981), and St. Agatha (2018), the subgenre of nunsploitation comes into play to further explore themes of religious and sexual oppression.
In Häxan (1922), possessed nuns mingle with witches as director Benjamin Christensen explores the connection between mental health and mass hysteria. With movies like Alucarda (1975), Ms. 45 (1981), and St. Agatha (2018), the subgenre of nunsploitation comes into play to further explore themes of religious and sexual oppression.
- 3/22/2024
- by Rachel Reeves
- bloody-disgusting.com
There’s nothing quite like a nun horror movie to remind us that the line between the sacred and the terrifying is thinner than a communion wafer. In this unholy listicle, we’re diving deep into the cloistered corners of horror cinema to bring you the ultimate guide to nunsploitation. So, whether you’ve taken your holy orders or you’re just a horror enthusiast looking for your next sacrilegious scare, join us on this divine journey through some of the most unholy tales ever told on screen.
From demonic possessions to gothic tales of madness and despair unfolding on hallowed ground, nun horror movies have a unique way of getting under our skin. Maybe it’s the way they juxtapose the purity of the habit with the darkness of the supernatural, or perhaps it’s just that nuns have always had a knack for knowing what’s lurking in the shadows.
From demonic possessions to gothic tales of madness and despair unfolding on hallowed ground, nun horror movies have a unique way of getting under our skin. Maybe it’s the way they juxtapose the purity of the habit with the darkness of the supernatural, or perhaps it’s just that nuns have always had a knack for knowing what’s lurking in the shadows.
- 3/11/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
We have already reviewed one movie that emerged through the collaboration of Forest Ian Etsler and Sebastien Simon here in Asian Movie Pulse, and considering the rather unique approach of “The Troubled Troubadour” checking another of their work seemed like a rather interesting endeavor. Even more so, since “One-minded” seems to be their most successful one so far, screening in festivals all over the world and winning award from Chicago International and the Festival International de Programmes Audiovisuels Biarritz 2016.
“One-minded” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
A man who is sitting in the entrance of a block of flats watches two people who are obviously thieves, climbing down from a window of one apartment on a rope. Probably shocked but remaining cool, all he resorts in doing is offering one a cigarette, although in the end, their interaction remains minimal. In the next scene, a woman returns...
“One-minded” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
A man who is sitting in the entrance of a block of flats watches two people who are obviously thieves, climbing down from a window of one apartment on a rope. Probably shocked but remaining cool, all he resorts in doing is offering one a cigarette, although in the end, their interaction remains minimal. In the next scene, a woman returns...
- 6/4/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Spoiler Alert: This post contains details of tonight’s Succession series finale.
In the end, heavy is the sycophantic head that wears the crown, as the series finale of Succession proved tonight.
“You f*ckin’ grabbed the crown, the two of you,” proclaims Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) as she sticks another blade into her hapless brothers in the “With Open Eyes” episode of the Jesse Armstrong-created satire. “Dad died and you f*cking grabbed the crown, and you pushed me out, so I don’t know why I’m the (expletive) here,” she tells the still scheming Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and bruised Roman (Kieran Culkin) with a beautiful Caribbean sunset in the background.
“So, f*ck off, okay? I won and I’m sorry for winning, but I did …I played it better.”
Not really, at least not in the way Snook’s character thought.
For all the gloating,...
In the end, heavy is the sycophantic head that wears the crown, as the series finale of Succession proved tonight.
“You f*ckin’ grabbed the crown, the two of you,” proclaims Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook) as she sticks another blade into her hapless brothers in the “With Open Eyes” episode of the Jesse Armstrong-created satire. “Dad died and you f*cking grabbed the crown, and you pushed me out, so I don’t know why I’m the (expletive) here,” she tells the still scheming Kendall (Jeremy Strong) and bruised Roman (Kieran Culkin) with a beautiful Caribbean sunset in the background.
“So, f*ck off, okay? I won and I’m sorry for winning, but I did …I played it better.”
Not really, at least not in the way Snook’s character thought.
For all the gloating,...
- 5/29/2023
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Some Like It Hot’ Director-Choreographer on the Musical’s “Mathematical” and “Risky” Chase Sequence
In Broadway’s Some Like It Hot, based on the 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, there’s a chase sequence that sees the musical’s main trio Joe (Christian Borle), Daphne (J. Harrison Ghee) and Gertrude (Adrianna Hicks) dodging and dipping around a hotel to evade a group of angry mobsters, who are themselves being chased by the police.
With this modern spin on the romantic crime comedy, it’s easy to assume director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw drew from the movie’s chase to help him deliver one of Broadway’s most exciting tap sequences. And there was, at one point, a nod to the film sequence featuring mobster Spats Colombo (played by Mark Lotito) hiding under a room service cart. But the choreographer and director says it was among the things nixed as the team nipped and tucked in the quest to achieve the right pacing and length for the number.
With this modern spin on the romantic crime comedy, it’s easy to assume director-choreographer Casey Nicholaw drew from the movie’s chase to help him deliver one of Broadway’s most exciting tap sequences. And there was, at one point, a nod to the film sequence featuring mobster Spats Colombo (played by Mark Lotito) hiding under a room service cart. But the choreographer and director says it was among the things nixed as the team nipped and tucked in the quest to achieve the right pacing and length for the number.
- 5/13/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
James Ijames Pulitzer Prize-winning “Fat Ham,” which opened to strong reviews on Broadway April 12 after a Sro engagement at the Public Theater, is the latest reinvention of a Shakespeare play. A strong contender for multiple Tony nominations is set at a Southern cookout where a queer black college student named Juicy (Marcel Spears) is dealing with a lot of issues including identity, the ghost of his dead father and the fact that his mother recently married his uncle.
“I have this need to disrupt the canon as much as I can, and disrupt people’s deification and lionization of classical texts…as if they’re frozen in amber and all we can do is put a treatment on top of that like wallpaper, by setting it in the ‘20s,” Ijames told Playbill. “There’s this real desire in me to take the parts of the classics and bring them closer...
“I have this need to disrupt the canon as much as I can, and disrupt people’s deification and lionization of classical texts…as if they’re frozen in amber and all we can do is put a treatment on top of that like wallpaper, by setting it in the ‘20s,” Ijames told Playbill. “There’s this real desire in me to take the parts of the classics and bring them closer...
- 4/17/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for “Anne With an E” Season 2, including the finale “The Growing Good of the World.”]
The character of Great Aunt Josephine Barry in the “Anne of Green Gables” books has always been a fan favorite because she seemed to truly understand and encourage the unique aspects of the orphan that transformed the lives of those in Avonlea. In the Northwood Entertainment-produced Netflix adaptation of “Anne With an E,” it’s revealed that her perception and empathy comes from her own personal struggles: Aunt Josephine (Deborah Grover) is gay.
Series creator Moira Walley-Beckett spoke to IndieWire about adding this extra dimension to the beloved literary character, as well as more realistic touches for Canada in the Edwardian period, and what she’s eyeing for Anne Shirley Cuthbert (Amybeth McNulty) in Season 3.
“Upon reading [the novel] again as an adult, I was wondering about Aunt Jo,” said Walley-Beckett. “In the book, she’s a...
The character of Great Aunt Josephine Barry in the “Anne of Green Gables” books has always been a fan favorite because she seemed to truly understand and encourage the unique aspects of the orphan that transformed the lives of those in Avonlea. In the Northwood Entertainment-produced Netflix adaptation of “Anne With an E,” it’s revealed that her perception and empathy comes from her own personal struggles: Aunt Josephine (Deborah Grover) is gay.
Series creator Moira Walley-Beckett spoke to IndieWire about adding this extra dimension to the beloved literary character, as well as more realistic touches for Canada in the Edwardian period, and what she’s eyeing for Anne Shirley Cuthbert (Amybeth McNulty) in Season 3.
“Upon reading [the novel] again as an adult, I was wondering about Aunt Jo,” said Walley-Beckett. “In the book, she’s a...
- 7/15/2018
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
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